Bauhinia bidentata
Content
Description
Large, tendrilled climber, young branches tomentose, later glabrous.
Leaves entire or emarginate; stipules broadly falcate to auriculate, c. 5 mm long, early caducous; petioles slender, 1-5 mm; lamina with more or less cordate to truncate base; apex acute, emarginate or very shallowly bifid (1/4 at most); nerves 4-7; much varying in size, up to 14.5 by 12 cm; upper surface usually glabrous or nearly so; lower hairy in varying degree.
Inflorescence corymbose, often elongating during anthesis, up to 10 cm, axis and other floral parts including the buds more or less hairy; pedicels slender; bracts ovate-triangular to linear-lanceolate, 2-10 mm, early caducous; bracteoles smaller, 1-6 mm.
Petals yellow turning red, unequal, obovate, shortly but distinctly clawed, 15-22 mm long.
Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous or hairy, 2-9 mm long, usually enlarged at base; anthers 2-3 mm; staminodes 2-7, usually much smaller than the stamens, sometimes with diminutive anthers.
Ovary 3-5 mm, on a c. 3 mm long stipe, hairy all over or along the suture only; style c. 3 mm; the stigma capitate to small peltate.
Seeds up to 5, flat, c. 1 cm across.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present)
Malesia: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula.Sumatra, Malay Peninsula
Notes
Bauhinia scortechinii Prain is only known from the type specimen from Perak, G. Haram. A specimen in K, consisting of two short flowering branches with closed buds, has been studied. This specimen, together with Prain's description, clearly indicates that it belongs to B. bidentata. However, it has not been possible to place it with certainly under any of the varieties as mentioned below.